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3232129683150Missionvale volunteers to launch ’30k for 30 years’ fundraiserhttps://clarechampion.ie/missionvale-volunteers-to-launch-30k-for-30-years-fundraiser/
Fri, 18 Aug 2017 13:39:35 +0000http://clarechampion.ie/?p=52857THIRTY years after Lissycasey native, Sr Ethel Normoyle established the Missionvale Care Centre in South Africa, volunteers who have worked on the project, which helps the destitute, are to come together for a special fundraising initiative.

On Saturday, volunteers, the majority of whom are from Clare, will gather in the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis to launch the fundraiser ‘30k for 30 Years’, a campaign in which they have set themselves a target of raising €30,000.
Missionvale Care Centre, which was founded by Sr Ethel in 1988, is a non-profit organisation operating in the township of Missionvale in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

Since its origin, operating from under a tree, Sr Ethel has grown the care centre into a facility that provides love and care for the poor and destitute. The care centre offers basic necessities to the estimated 25,000 residents of the Missionvale Township, including food, clothing, heathcare and education.

The Missionvale Ireland charity was subsequently established in 2008 in response to the poverty a group of Irish volunteers witnessed and experienced during a 10-day working visit to Missionvale township.
As Sr Ethel will reach a milestone in 2018 of 30 years working with the poor in Missionvale Township, Missionvale Ireland has organised the get-together of all volunteers on Saturday from 3pm to 4pm to launch the ‘30K for 30 Years’ campaign.

Internationally acclaimed musician Sharon Shannon, Missionvale Ireland’s ambassador, will attend Saturday’s launch and it is hoped to present Sr Ethel with a cheque for €30,000 when volunteers visit Missionvale next February.
Sharon said she was delighted and honoured to have become an ambassador for Missionvale Ireland and has long been an admirer of the work of Sr Ethel and the Missionvale Care Centre.

“To be involved in a charity with an origin in my home county of Clare is especially poignant. What makes it so unique is the fact that some of its trustees are people that I have grown up alongside. They are folk that I can trust. I am in awe of the work that is carried out by Sr Ethel and the people of the Missionvale Care Centre. Their selfless life-long commitment to the people of the Missionvale township is inspiring.”

]]>52857Uncertainty over emergency department opening datehttps://clarechampion.ie/uncertainty-over-emergency-department-opening-date/
Sun, 12 Mar 2017 12:34:34 +0000http://www.clarechampion.ie/?p=51122CONCERN is growing over the lack of a definitive date for the opening of the new Emergency Department (ED) at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).
Colette Cowan, CEO UL Hospitals’ Group.

UL Hospitals’ Group chief executive officer Colette Cowan told a recent HSE West Forum meeting that she hoped the new ED would open at the end of May, subject to funding and the recruitment of new nurses.

Ms Cowan stated that about 20 of the 30 nurses required for the new ED have already been hired and the group confirmed this week that a few more have been employed since that meeting.
However, Councillor Tom McNamara has expressed concern about the lack of a definite date for the opening of the new department.

Councillor McNamara has called for an initiative to incentivise the retention of nurses in acute hospitals, such as providing free training to those studying nursing provided they stay for five years in the public system after they graduate.

The Fianna Fáil councillor said every effort should be made to retain more nurses in hospitals such as UHL and reduce the numbers leaving the hospital on a regular basis. He cited the case of one nurse at UHL, who got a break at 1pm and did not get another one until she finished work at 9.10pm that evening.

He warned that nurses on the wards are burning out because too many trauma patients are being placed on corridors and units to try and relieve the pressure in the ED.

Last year, he recalled that a woman with a suspected cardiac issue spent more than a week in a ward before she received the required tests.

“Diagnostic equipment and tests should be made available for much longer periods. Doctors will not discharge a patient unless they know what exactly is wrong with them,” he said.

“I don’t want to be negative but I doubt the new ED will be fully operational by the end of May. Forum members highlighted the need to hire extra nurses for the new ED years ago. This was the time to start hiring nurses for the new unit.

“I thought funding should not be an issue considering the overcrowding at UHL,” he said.

Ann Norton

Councillor Ann Norton said the time to start recruiting nurses for the new ED was 18 months ago. Despite a major HSE recruitment drive last Christmas, Councillor Norton said a lot of overseas Irish nurses, who came home for the festive season, did not stay to work in public hospitals.

The independent councillor said the HSE has to start putting in place measures to retain more nurses, such as the provision of more permanent contracts, as some nurses working for years still do not have one.

A HSE spokesman said, “UL Hospitals welcomes the inclusion of funding for the opening of its new state-of-the-art ED at UHL in the 2017 HSE National Service Plan and continues to advance plans through ongoing recruitment of staff and commissioning of equipment to enable the new ED to open on May 29, 2017.

“UL Hospitals continues to actively recruit for the new ED in University Hospital Limerick. Interviews are ongoing across all disciplines and panels are being formed for successful nursing and support candidates. Reference checks and garda vetting is currently underway.

“It is planned to open the ED on May 29, 2017, subject to recruitment and funding,” said the HSE spokesman.

]]>51122CEO to pursue roads funding ‘with venom’https://clarechampion.ie/ceo-to-pursue-roads-funding-with-venom/
Fri, 13 Jan 2017 10:07:35 +0000http://www.clarechampion.ie/?p=34557THE CEO of Clare County Council has vowed to “pursue with venom” funding needed for a number of key roads projects in the county with Transport Infrastructure Ireland [TII], including improving the road to Shannon Airport and Blake’s Corner.

Pat Dowling has confirmed that there are ongoing discussions between Clare County Council and TII in relation to “a small number of key critical projects”, saying that the council will continue to pursue these projects with the national roads authority.

He was speaking at the monthly meeting of Clare County Council where the importance of funding to extend and upgrade the N19 road to Shannon Airport was highlighted.

Councillor John Crowe, who raised the issue, insisted, “By extending this small section of road, access to the airport would be enhanced and it would make easier access for traffic and pedestrians”.
He stressed the importance of improving the route.

“For people travelling from the south or west, they are driving on first-class infrastructure until the last few kilometres. It leaves a very bad impression. The road surface is shabby, narrow and needs to be resurfaced. I appeal to TII to provide the funding. We should insist this small bit of road is finished. It takes the good out of our airport.”

He called on the council to contact both TII and the Minster for Transport to demand the funding be made available.

Councillor PJ Ryan has emphasised the need to extend and upgrade the N19 to Shannon Airport.

Councillor PJ Ryan described the route as a “very important piece of infrastructure” and pointed out that it is the only access for traffic to the airport.

He continued, “If there is a major accident on the road, like a chemical spill, the road is closed and the airport closes down. There is a way through the golf links but it’s only access for those with a tractor.”

Councillor Gerry Flynn supported the call. “It’s an international airport, with one way in and out. It’s a dead end and it will be a dead end if we don’t have connectivity.”

Tom Tiernan, senior engineer with Clare County Council, pointed out that over the past two to three years the section of road in question was, in the first instance, designated a public road and more recently in 2016 was redesignated as a national road as, in effect, it is a natural extension of the N19, the main strategic artery facilitating access to Shannon Airport.

“Once this road was designated as a national route, Clare County Council immediately reaffirmed its view to TII that the section of the N19 from the end of the existing dual carriageway to the Knockbeg Point Roundabout should be upgraded to dual carriageway status to facilitate the future prospects and prosperity of the airport and also to cater for the need to be in a position to appropriately respond to prospective emergency situations in the vicinity of the airport. The issue was again raised at the meeting of councillors with TII in Dublin in November and will continue to be emphasised as a priority for Clare County Council,” he said.

]]>34557Four Clare villages to benefit from renewal schemehttps://clarechampion.ie/four-clare-villages-to-benefit-from-renewal-scheme/
Mon, 07 Nov 2016 09:37:28 +0000http://www.clarechampion.ie/?p=33857Some €380,000 has been earmarked for local improvement schemes in Clarecastle, Kilkee, Scariff and Shannon from the €10 million national kitty.

Each of the four Clare projects will receive €95,000 to finance a wide range improvements that have been put forward by local community groups to make their towns and villages more attractive places in which to live and work.

In Clarecastle, the funding will be used to put electric and phone cables underground, replace lighting columns, provide lighting for public spaces, redesign traffic dominated spaces, upgrade footpaths and crossings, as well as planting and painting throughout the village.

The €95,000 allocated to Kilkee will be used for landscaping and to provide public art at Percy French Green and the Carrigaholt roundabout. Scariff will benefit from work on safety and access to the access to public areas while the allocation to Shannon will go towards delivering the Shannon Town Green Infrastructure Plan.

“We are determined to get this funding delivered as quickly as possible. Now that the projects have been approved, work can get underway without undue delay”, outlined Clare TD, Joe Carey.

“Rural development is a key priority. Our towns and villages are the heart of our rural communities, but many of them are still recovering from the economic downturn. This scheme is designed to help breath life back into Clare’s rural towns and villages,” Deputy Carey concluded.

]]>33857Council requested to provide photographs of Springfield floodinghttps://clarechampion.ie/council-requested-to-provide-photographs-of-springfield-flooding/
Sun, 06 Nov 2016 09:29:37 +0000http://www.clarechampion.ie/?p=33836Clare County Council has been requested by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to provide additional information, including photographic evidence of flooding in Springfield. The request was made in respect of the OPW’s ongoing review of the council’s request for funding approval.

This development emerged in a week when the council was notified by the OPW of its decision to allocate €49,500 to undertake remediation works on a 250m section of river embankment (Blackwater River). The council expects remediation works to commence during November. Weather permitting, it is hoped the works will be completed by the end of the year.

The council has completed a procurement process and has identified a consultant who would carry out a focused feasibility study with a view to identifying a sustainable solution to the historic flooding issues at Springfield, Clonlara.

As of June last, the council has been seeking funding approval from the OPW to appoint a consultant. It envisages that any flood prevention works approved ancillary to such an appointment would be carried out under the OPW’s existing Minor Works Scheme.

A council spokesman said the council is not the lead authority for flood and river management but, as the local authority for County Clare, it has inputted into the CFRAMS process in relation to Affected Flooding Areas AFAs considered, including Springfield.

While Springfield resident, Geraldine Quinlivan welcomed the funding for Mount Catherine, she confirmed that it would not solve the flooding problem for householders in her locality, who were living in fear of a repeat of the most recent devastating flooding.

“It is time that one of the solutions from the CFRAMS report was prioritised and implemented. We want peace of mind this winter and don’t want to be worrying about whether our houses will flood again. It is now a time for action,” she said.

Minister of State for Employment and Small Business, Pat Breen has welcome the funding.

Minister of State, Deputy Pat Breen said the Minister with Special Responsibility for the OPW, Sean Canney, has confirmed that €49,500 will be allocated to the council to remove trees and reconstruct the embankment at Mount Catherine.

“It became very clear that the river embankment required strengthening and maintenance works, in order to prevent further flooding when the Blackwater River, Ardnacrusha, burst its banks, causing significant flood damage to local homes last winter. Clare County Council has until July 31, 2017, to carry out this flood prevention work.

“Following a frank and open discussion, the OPW agreed to treat the flooding issues in Springfield as urgent, and assured me that it is currently working out a solution with Jacobs Engineering Group Inc, with a decision on the work to be presented at Christmas. The OPW is also to work closely with the council on this project and, subject to planning permission, work should begin as soon as possible,” said Minister Breen.

Deoputy Jan O’Sullivansaid she would support Clare County Council in any representations they plan to make in relation to the flooding issues in Springfield.

Meanwhile, Deputy Jan O’Sullivan has supported Clare County Council’s criticism of the recent CFRAM report, which did not take into account flooding last December and January on the outskirts of Clonlara.

“I know that area well and the families who are affected. The Springfield area was particularly badly hit last year and in previous years. Just because the flooding in Springfield was outside the CFRAM timeframe doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. The OPW should use whatever evidence it has, including last year’s flooding, to assess the risk for mitigation measures.

“I would hope the OPW would have a look at this situation again. I know, at the other side of the river, Castleconnell was originally omitted from flood relief works but now the OPW is looking at this again,” she said.

Asked about the anxiety the lack of flood protection is causing residents in Springfield, the Clonlara-born deputy acknowledged it is a “horrible way to live, wondering if your house is going to be flooded”.
She said, a few years ago, a wall of earth was built in Shannon Banks, which proved effective and she felt that similar measures should be implemented in Springfield.

“My own son lives in Atlunkard Street in Limerick and they were flooded in 2014. To go into a house where water is up to your knees and the smell lasts for ages, the effect is horrible. Some people in Springfield had to get a boat to get into their house and had to endure being out of their homes for a long time,” she said.

Calling on the OPW to include the most recent flooding in their assessment, she confirmed she would also support any representations Clare County Council would make in this issue.

Her views were echoed by Limerick Deputy Willie O’Dea, who stated it was beyond comprehension that Springfield was not included in the most recent CFRAM report.

“If people involved in drafting the CFRAM report only watched the news on a few occasions, they would have seen that Springfield was very much to the fore in flood-hit areas. It would be different if this report was being done in anticipation of future flooding, but when the flooding has already happened on such a major scale and caused so much human misery and destruction, it is almost beyond belief.”

Dan Danaher

]]>33836Council gets funding to renovate and re-let houseshttps://clarechampion.ie/council-gets-funding-to-renovate-and-re-let-houses/
Wed, 02 Nov 2016 08:50:08 +0000http://www.clarechampion.ie/?p=33790Clare County Council has been approved €659,554 to bring local authority houses back into use throughout the county. The money will be used to renovate 30 houses for re-letting.

The council applied for funding to renovate 87 derelict houses.However, three applications were rejected and a further 56 are in the process of being assessed.

Clare Deputy Joe Carey said, “There are two programmes that enable local authorities to refurbish vacant social housing requiring more significant works than the normal level of pre-letting repairs. The Voids programme provides funding of up to €30,000 per unit while the Derelicts programme is aimed at more seriously derelict social houses,” Deputy Carey explained.

“The Housing Agency is being provided with €70 million to engage with lending institutions to acquire properties for social housing and this is expected to deliver 1,600 units over the period to 2020. Other measures include a ‘Repair and Leasing’ initiative to allow property owners bring vacant properties up to standard for leasing for social housing. Capital provision of €6 million will deliver 150 units under this new initiative.

“A ‘Buy and Renew’ initiative will also support local authorities and approved housing bodies to purchase private housing units in need of repair, renew them and make them available for social housing use. An initial capital provision of €25 million will be available for this initiative.”

]]>33790€39,000 to upgrade recreational walkshttps://clarechampion.ie/e39000-to-upgrade-recreational-walks/
Tue, 01 Nov 2016 14:39:22 +0000http://www.clarechampion.ie/?p=33787Some €39,000 has been allocated by the Minister of State for Regional Economic Development Michael Ring to Coillte for the development of new recreational facilities and the maintenance and promotion of existing recreational infrastructures in Clare.

The money is to be spent on the maintenance of current walks and trails and is Clare’s allocation from a national fund of €1.3million.

The works will facilitate the repair to signage and the barrier at Cahermurphy; the upgrade of the trails, maintenance of seats, new signage and vegetation control in Cratloe and general vegetation control in Doon.

Funding will also go towards the general control of vegetation at the access of the East Clare Way at Knocknageeha, general vegetation control around the picnic area and the replacement of the barrier at Gragans Wood; the upgrade of the trails and vegetation control in Kilrush; and the upkeep of trails, new signage and general vegetation control at Moylussa, Ballycuggaran plus the general maintenance of trails at Woodpark.

Minister of State for Employment and Small Business, Pat Breen welcomed the funding. “Investment in recreational facilities such as these is good for small local businesses as it has been proven that they boost the local economy by assisting in the creation and retention of employment in the hospitality, tourism and services sectors in rural Ireland”.

THE development of a walking trail on the Loop Head peninsula and upgrading of the Shannon Looped Walks are among the five Clare projects that will benefit from an allocation of more than €400,000 to rural recreation schemes in the county.

Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said the fact that Clare had secured the second highest allocation of the 20 counties included in the €4.5 million scheme was an indication of the national importance of the Clare tourist industry and its outstanding record of innovation.

Clare County Council has been allocated €255,625 for the Shannon Looped Walks while the Clare Local Development Company will get €68,415 for Costal Trail Guide training at the Cliffs of Moher; €58,952 for the Loop Head walking trail; €16,520 for the development of a trail monitoring app and €4,536 for maintenance of the Cliffs of Moher Coastal Trail.

Deputy Joe Carey has welcomed the funding for recreational projects in Clare.

“The importance and popularity of recreational pursuits in the Clare countryside continues to grow with significant benefit for the county’s economy. Last year, almost 1.2 million visitors to Ireland took part in hiking or cross country walking and spent in the region of €915 million during their stay,” Deputy Carey explained.

“Investment in recreational facilities has a proven effect on the creation and retention of employment in the hospitality, tourism and services sectors in Clare,” he added.

]]>32628Crusade to avert 2020 closurehttps://clarechampion.ie/crusade-to-avert-2020-closure/
Fri, 29 Jul 2016 11:11:12 +0000http://www.clarechampion.ie/?p=31907Clare Crusader’s Clinic is facing the threat of closure by 2020, unless major Government funding is provided on a annual basis.

While neither of the co-founders, Councillor Ann Norton and Frank Cassidy, want to close the clinic, they have warned its current losses are unsustainable without Government funding.

In the wake of the Console scandal, the co-founders have decided to open the accounts for the first time to dispel the perception that it has loads of spare cash.

According to profit and loss accounts provided to The Clare Champion, the clinic has accumulated losses of €107,341.

The charity made a slight profit of €1,495 in 2012, a profit of €14,615 in 2013 before sustaining a major loss of €48,523 in 2014. The clinic suffered further losses of €17,587 last year and €41,231 for the first six months of this year.

Fundraising from 2005 to 2016 generated a gross return of €2,684,779, less €395,931 in costs, giving a net figure of €2,288,848 for an estimated 76,295 hours of therapy.

Out of this figure, the State contributed €40,000 over an 11-year period, which represents 1.5%.

Wages and salaries paid to therapists have grown slightly from €210,605 in 2012 to €221,231 in 2015, while rent has practically remained constant at €10,800.

Frank Cassidy, who is a chartered accountant, proposed the clinic would have no problem matching a government grant of €125,000, considering the clinic provides in the region of €60,000 in PRSI and PAYE contributions annually.

All donations that come directly to the charity are receipted and Carmody Kelly Accountants audit the accounts on an annual basis.

About 85 cents of every euro raised goes directly to pay seven therapists and one administrative staff, while ten cents goes on rent and five cents on utilities.

“Clare people have paid enough for Clare Crusaders. It is time for the Government to step up and maintain it. Without people’s generosity, it would not exist. It is very difficult to keep asking the same people over and over again for money.

“Without the charity people would not be employed. We are collecting money in PRSI and PAYE and paying it over to the Government. If the clinic was making an industrial electronic part we would be able to claim all our tax back but because we are providing a service to a special needs child, we can’t,” Mr Cassidy stated.

He said the clinic has not increased service provision in the last six or seven years and admitted that people are “sick of seeing the Crusaders collecting money”.

“If we maintain the current service, we will be out of business in four years due to losses. It is not sustainable without major Government support. We could cut the service but then you go past the point of a positive contribution, as the children may only get therapy once a month,” he added.

Councillor Ann Norton acknowledged the charity is constantly collecting money, which is a turn-off for some people who have contributed generously in the past. She stressed there is no other way to keep it going however.

“People have been incredibly generous to Clare Crusaders but there comes a point when people say ‘I have given enough to this charity’. We have seen this in the fall from some of our traditional sources of income, such as the marathon and cycle, which now account for only 20% of income,” she added.

Eighty percent of funding has to come from donations and individual events throughout the year. Only for a €49,000 cheque from Genworth in Shannon, which was spread over 2014 and 2015, the clinic would have lost in the region of €100,000 at the end of last year.

If another big sponsor does not come up trumps this year, the charity could be facing a shortfall of up to €50,000, she added.

Ms Norton said it is “farcical” that the clinic is providing a free service that the Government should be providing, is employing seven people and has also paid in the region of €225,000 in employer’s PRSI without any State support or rebate.

Councillor Norton said she consistently lobbied Oireachtas members to try and remove this anomaly but without any success to date.

Following General Election 2016, which she contested unsuccessfully, the Barefield mother-of-three again sent letters to Deputies Pat Breen, Joe Carey, Timmy Dooley and Michael Harty seeking their assistance in securing Government funding.

She said she had got a “standard letter” back from the deputies, pledging they would look into the matter and get back to her.

“I speak to deputies regularly. Not alone am I talking to them with a begging bowl, they are also asking me to look after their constituents’ children,” she added.

The clinic cannot provide any more services for new children, as it does not have the capacity to deal with the demand it currently has, which Councillor Norton claimed has “gone through the roof in recent years”.

“Unfortunately we had to make a decision whether we want to provide a proper service to children who are attending, or do we spread it out and end up not giving a full and proper service,” she added.

Despite giving talks in schools and public events, Councillor Norton admitted not everyone understands what the clinic is doing and many do not believe that the clinic doesn’t get any Government funding.

She half-heartedly joked that when some people see her on the street, they cross the road as they are worried she might be looking for sponsorship or another spot prize for the clinic’s latest fundraiser.
“The reality is I am looking for sponsorship on a daily basis. I always have a begging bowl out,” she said.

Mr Cassidy admitted the other major frustration is the high staff turnover, as the HSE recruits most of their therapists, who are highly trained and skilled at no cost to the health authority.

He said the HSE should be paying the clinic a recruitment fee, as most of their therapists were poached after two or three years.

Mr Cassidy stressed that neither Ms Norton or himself get a cent from the charity in terms of wages, director’s fees or expenses and their only reward is the fact their children get the best one-on-one therapy, which wasn’t available before the clinic was set up.

Dan Danaher

]]>31907Funding approved for Ennis flood schemehttps://clarechampion.ie/funding-approved-for-ennis-flood-scheme/
Wed, 27 Jul 2016 07:51:46 +0000http://www.clarechampion.ie/?p=31870A total of €4.71 million in funding for the Ennis South Flood Relief Scheme has been approved by the Office of Public Works. The money will be made available to Clare County Council when it addresses some technical aspects of the scheme.

The scheme will involve extensive flood alleviation work to the St Flannan’s and Ballybeg streams in the Clonroadmore, Ballybeg and Clareabbey areas of Ennis and Clarecastle.

“There are some residual matters that require further consideration by the council and its consultants prior to implementation of the scheme. The offer of funding has been made on the basis that the council addresses and satisfies itself in relation to these matters prior to entering into any binding contractual commitments,” explained Clare TD, Joe Carey.

Responding to a parliamentary question from Deputy Carey last month, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohue acknowledged that discussions relating to technical aspects of the scheme had impacted on progress but he expected that the OPW would be in contact with the Council before the end of July “in relation to the approval of funding for the scheme”.

The Minister’s response came a year after the Dáil was told that the project was delayed by negotiations between landowners and the local authority which took significantly longer than anticipated.

Welcoming confirmation that the funding was approved , Deputy Carey said: “Few will forget the sight of water pouring over the boundary wall at St. Flannan’s College in November 2009. Houses in estates off the Clare Road, Clonroadmore and Tobartaiscain were under several feet of water with devastating consequences for their owners.

“It is essential that work starts on this important scheme before the Winter months. People have waited patiently since 2009 for this problem to be finally tackled”, he added.

Stating that the OPW had already made provision for the cost in its multi-annual capital programme, Deputy Carey said that the project would include an upgrade of the existing flood defence embankment between the Quin Road and the Clarecastle tidal barrage.

“The preferred option involves a very substantial upgrading of around 2 km of embankments, the construction of two 1.4 km culverts and a pump station.The culverts will extend from the St. Flannan’s and Ballybeg streams to the Clare Abbey flood plain, with associated overflow and outfall structure works”, he explained.